Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-04

table, and then turned the mustangs head
toward his cabin. He was accompanied
by a sympathizing delegation. who, know
ing his love for the Buster. suggested that
he drop in and console the mother. He
refused curtly Us her och homes rioate,l
down 10 the trail, and the procession took
up its march. presumably 10 show him
Z the tousled bear skin.
F But Dick made no comments. for dull
suspicion forced itself upon him and
would not be put aside.
OF course nothing had been touched: he
could see that for himself OF course not
but he would look, anyway, and make
sure that the dust was safe. And AS he
turned the sack over the flour sifted
through the slit cut in the side next the
wall. .
Then the dark suspicion that he had put
down as shameful danced around him and
cried out:
.'I knew it! told you so. Nobody but
Buster Bill knew where you kept your
dust, and Buster Bill is missingr'
The boys glared disgust at Keno Dick
for his surly response to their sympathy;
but at last they went away, and he
walked the space in front of the cabin like
a tiger. Keno Dick had prospected in a
strange place this time, for he had spent
the last two days over in Georgetown.
where Miss Bessie Worth lived, and all
the way up the summit coming home he
had calculated how much dust that bag
contained, and how much it would take
to build m addition to the cabin and to
furnish it in the style betitting another
and an angelic occupant.
But the bag was gone now, and Buster
Bill was gone with it. His hands clenched
in his pockets, and one of them touched
something hard. He drew it ont. 1t was
the chispa he had got for Bill over in
Georgetown. He had been intending to
tell him he found it on the summit, for
Bill was sharp. and il was not best for
him to know about the Georgetown claim
yet. He tossed it into the gulch with an
oath But after all it was chispa, and
the foundation Of a new bag must be laid
soon. He climbed down after it with
feverish haste. A jagged quartz rock cut
his hand; he was glad. and he struck it
against the rock. He wouldn't have
minded the loss of the dust so much, but
Bessie and-Biil! Yes, it was sorrow
that filed his eyes and made him stumble.
Oh. little Bill, how could you do its An
other stumble! Take care, Dick; You had
better wipe your eyes il you want to find
that Chispa.
What Bill! Little Bill, lying here!
Look up, Look up! Look up! Oh, little
Buster Bill, forgive me!'
The Buster opened his eyes and smiled
''Oh, Bill, see it all now. They scared
You into telling them where it was, and
then chucked you into the gulch!'
The Buster sat up straight. Visions OF
Wild BIZ. the great aud noble, floate,l
through his brain. His honor was al
stake. What cared he for q broken arm
or u swelled and aching head.
scared nlcH' There was a world of
sorrowful scorn in his tones. Then he
lay hack in Dicks arms and told his tale
aId at the end Dicl, saw that he was
STRUGGLING with one of the deep Sits il
the side Of Paddy Noonan's overalls, and
after many efforts he drew forth his hand
and said:
"And il was SO blame dark / walked
into the Gulch-but the bag went with me
fer / lowed that they might 90 through
the cabin anyway, so jest slipped it into
my pocket"
And Keno Dick bowed his head and
wept.
But, by thunder, won't them fellers
swear when they read it in the papers!''
said Buster Bill.-May Cooper in The
ArCOnaut.